Singapore only gained independence in 1965, but it is already the most expensive city in the world. As the city-state’s wealth grew, its landscape also evolved rapidly — from trishaws and swamps to super cars and skyscrapers. But hidden amidst today’s extravagance is one tiny hamlet that refuses to catch up: Kampong Lorong Buangkok.
In 1956, a traditional medicine seller by the name of Sng Teow Koon bought the land that would become the village of Kampong Lorong Buangkok. In the 1960s, about 40 families lived in the kampong but as Singapore became more affluent, the number of residents steadily declined. Today, only 13 houses remain in Buangkok, and the village is the last of its kind.
Coconuts Singapore Editor Hidayah Salamat and Coconuts TV decided to stop by Buangkok to explore the last Singaporean village before it eventually disappears.
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